"Jerry Jones is the only person who can actually fix this and he also might be the only person who doesn't know it is broken."- 12/30/13
Daily Commentary on the Dallas Sports Scene - By Bob Sturm - Sportsradio 1310, The Ticket

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

I submit to you the following proof that it was I who knew of Tony Romo's pending success way back in 2003. See the attached photo from the newpaper dated 5/1/2003 that I have kept in my briefcase since then, from Tony's hometown of Burlington, WI (also my hometown, and my grandmother mailed this to me). Since then, my 92 yr old Grandma keeps sending me the hometown clips everytime Tony makes news there....lately that's about every week.

I'll be in Burlington this coming weekend to visit family, and will going to a sports bar to watch the Cowboys. Should be interesting to see Cheeseheads cheer for the Cowboys.

Take care,

- P1 (& fellow Cheesehead) Jeff Weis in Frisco

Very cool. Thanks, Jeff.

And now, some outdated thoughts on the Stars:

Red Wings still own Stars

Surely, this is a few days old, but the subject matter of “how good are the Stars” has made its way into the conversation quite a bit recently. Although their start certainly has exceeded my expectations (which were quite minimal), there were numbers that I was reminded of after the Friday night loss to Detroit that made me a little crazy:

• Marty Turco is now 1-7-5 against Detroit in his career. This is the only Western Conference team he has a sub .500 record against.

• In 14 games, he has given up 3 goals or more 9 times vs. Det.

• Ken Hitchcock was 13-13-3 versus Detroit in his stay here; Dave Tippett is now 2-6-5.

Detroit may not be the king of the hill anymore, although it is too early to declare their death; but when it comes to Dallas playing them, the days of Hitch and Belfour are not being replaced very well by Tippett and Turco.

Next up: at the Washington Redskins (2-5) and at the Arizona Cardinals (1-7).The uncertainty that hung over the Cowboys for a week has moved on. The performance of first-time starting quarterback Tony Romo, and the entire team, was the evidence required to re-instill some confidence that had been shaken.

But the new task facing the Cowboys is guarding against over-confidence. After all, it was just one game.

"There is some demonstrated ability [in Romo] that always fosters that kind of belief. But, you know, anyone can land a lucky punch," Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said. "Or every once in a while, you're standing up there at the plate and they hit your bat. You didn't really hit the ball. They hit your bat."

Translation: Prove that you can hit it again.

Romo's stat line looks more like a hit than beginner's luck. He completed 24 of 36 passes for 270 yards with a touchdown and an interception. That adds up to 1-0 as a starter.

The Romo Effect was obvious: His teammates rallied around their baby-faced quarterback. From the offensive line to the defensive backs, everybody was a little bit better.

They had to be.

"We can't put [Romo] in terrible situations and act like he's going to be Johnny Unitas," James said. "We have to help him manage the game."

Immediately after the game, Cowboys owner/general manager/eternal optimist Jerry Jones did his best to put his child-like enthusiasm in a safe. He said one of the best things Romo did was not make the big mistake. But his own words betrayed him. Jones sounds like a man who thinks he might have stumbled on to something.

"We've got a chance to really do some good things," he said. "Everybody seems to have more confidence and play better when the future looks bright."

Cowboys running back/kick returner Tyson Thompson will have surgery on his broken left ankle and miss the rest of the season.

Bill Parcells said the Cowboys will look into possibly signing a returner to replace Thompson.

Veteran Aaron Glenn filled in for Thompson against Carolina and had one return for 14 yards. The Cowboys beat Carolina 35-14 Sunday night.

Thompson, of Irving, suffered the injury on a first-quarter return when he was tackled out of bounds after a 37-yard return and the play drew an unnecessary roughness penalty. Thompson had two returns in the game for a 33.5 average.

Entering the Carolina game, Thompson was third in the NFC and ninth in the NFL in klckoff returns.

Bodog.com sent me these Mavs numbers:

I thought these Maverick and NBA odds may be of interest to you…They’re courtesy of Bodog.

Team Odds

Odds to win the 2006-2007 NBA ChampionshipDallas Mavericks 7/2

Odds to win the 2006-2007 Western Conference ChampionshipDallas Mavericks 5/2

The award-winning ESPN College GameDay, built by Home Depot, is heading to College Station, Texas, for this Saturday’s (Nov. 4) football game between Texas A&M and Oklahoma. The two-hour show airs on ESPN beginning at 9 a.m. central. The football game is set to start at 7 p.m. central and will be shown on ABC.

More information and the exact location will be determined at a later time.

This marks the second trip to Aggieland for the trio of Chris Fowler, Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit and the ESPN GameDay crew. The crew highlighted the Nov. 11, 2000, football game between these same two schools.

To this day, Drew Bledsoe believes Bill Belichick lied to him in 2001. It’s obviously been a tough thing for Bledsoe to let go, because he brought it up when addressing the Dallas media last week upon officially losing the Cowboys’ starting quarterback job to Tony Romo.

“The only thing I didn’t like about that situation (in New England), that was different from this one, I felt like in that instance I was treated dishonestly,” Bledsoe said. “In this situation. ... Bill (Parcells) was honest with me. We sat down and had a conversation about it and there was nothing dishonest about it.”

Where’s former colleague Kevin Mannix when you need him? The Professor had a name for Bledsoe and his loyal supporters/excuse makers, and now that Bledsoe has decided to dive back into history, perhaps it’s time to set the record straight with the Boo Hoo Drew Crew.

Let’s say Bledsoe is right and Belichick “lied” to him, telling the former franchise quarterback that he would have all the time he needed to win his job back from Tom Brady in November of 2001 after nearly being killed by the hellacious hit from Jets linebacker Mo Lewis. If Belichick did, in fact, say that, then he certainly didn’t carry it out for long, because within a week of that alleged conversation, Belichick called both Bledsoe and Brady back into his office and told them Brady would be the starter the rest of the year.

Belichick had decided that it was unproductive to split practice reps. He realized you can’t have two starting quarterbacks. Above all -- do we really need to go back over this? -- he knew that Brady was clearly the better player.

Monday, October 30, 2006

Definition: the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best

As in: “The Cowboys football organization appears to have found hope in Tony Romo”.

Wrong –adjective

Definition: not correct in action, judgment, opinion, method, etc., as a person; in error

As in: “Bob Sturm appears to be wrong about Tony Romo”.

Here are the notes of an unlikely outcome in Charlotte…

• Let us start with #9. Romo was very good. I have no idea if this is the start of something big or a flash in the pan. But, his composure, his poise, his ability to move around and make a play on 3rd and 13 was top notch. I didn’t want to knee jerk either way with this kid after 1 week, because in order to see a QB you need to see him for extended periods of time, but last night’s performance is difficult to undersell. Obviously, what you like the most is his ability to introduce Witten and Owens to the offense, and make the OL look more reasonable. I honestly am shocked at how good he looked.

• A big assist to the defense. That is what I have been calling for all season. Look, on paper you appear to have the makings of a big time defense. But, this season has been filled with coughing up big play after big play. But to the credit of the Cowboys, they allowed one drive of consequence. They took the ball away a few times. They got stops and also limited the effectiveness of Steve Smith.

• This is a funny game. Think about the outcome if the pass to Keyshawn on 3rd down is not missed by a few inches. The Panthers were up 14-10, were driving down on the Cowboys at the 37 they faced 3rd down and 7. They had the perfect play called against the Cowboys blitz, and Keyshawn was behind Anthony Henry. The pass just missed or Johnson would have been gone, and the lead would have been 21-10, Carolina. They say it is a game of inches, and on that play, and the kickoff return fumble when the score was 14-13 let’s you know that the Cowboys had a little luck sprinkled in with their great play.

• Question of the week (after the other question of the week of whether Romo is really this good): Is the offensive line playing better or do they just look better with their new Quarterback? I honestly am not sure. Romo stayed alive on at least 4 or 5 occasions when Bledsoe surely would have been smashed. No idea.

• If Julius Jones played all of his games in Charlotte, would he be the best player in football history? Julius and Marion Barber ran hard last night and it just is another portion of the team that seems re-energized with the change.

• Julius Peppers and Michael Rucker were amazingly quiet last night.

• Bill Parcells is goofy with happiness right now. I think he got 10 years younger in 3 hours. If you read the Michael Lewis piece on him in the New York Times last week, you get the distinct impression that he has no interest in quitting his job anytime soon. Then you see last night and what a difference a week makes in this frustrating and addicting sport.

• Seriously, Cowboys fans: That is the exact same team that was humiliated on national Television on Monday Night at Texas Stadium. Make a change at QB and all of the changes, too? I guess if you are like me and you thought it was too early to make the change then like me you are enjoying a nice, hot plate of crow.

• I did not listen to the NBC Broadcast last night, so I did not realize that Tony Romo did his impression of Brett Favre for the camera. But, as I am watching this kid, it is obvious that every single mannerism is patterned after #4. It is like Kobe when he first started out – he chewed gum, shot free throws, walked, talked, and acted like his hero, Michael Jordan. Well, here is Tony. He carries himself just like his hero, too. And I would be willing to bet that the book he read in which he declined to reveal who it was would be none other than This one .

• Don’t you wonder why Terrell couldn’t get catches with Bledsoe? Did he not want to throw it to him? I really may never understand that.

• Roy Williams is tough to figure. It looks like he can’t cover about every other week (Philadelphia, New York). Then the other weeks (Washington, Carolina) he makes a coverage interception that might have won the game. So, can he cover or can’t he? It is tough to say he is awful when he keeps picking off passes.

• Akin Ayodele has finally made a few plays that were noticeable. Welcome.

• Mike Vanderjagt is flying under the radar right now. But somewhere he is going to be asked to win a very important game for this team. Can he do it? Also, do you think he would have made that kick at Denver yesterday that the Colts needed?

• Maybe Romo’s interception should not be forgotten. That was a rookie throw that was horrible. But, all you ask of the kid is that the good out-weighs the bad. Surely, last night it did.

• I wonder how bad Tyson Thompson’s injury is. He has been very, very good this year. That is a real shame.

• Overshadowed was all of the penalties last night. But, there were plenty of them. The offensive line and Terrell Owens had many nice plays brought back with a hold here and a hold there.

• Washington is next. Then a very bad Cardinals team. Could they possibly get to 6-3 with the Colts at Texas Stadium? Wow. Now we can dream again! Thank the football gods that the season has not been declared dead by Halloween.

• So where are we now with these guys? Are they back? Are they on their way? Or is this just another up during an up-and-down 2006. The plot has definitely thickened.

Friday, October 27, 2006

Amazing. When this weekend is over, we will know far more about Romo and the Cowboys, Aggies-Baylor and Longhorns-Tech will be decided, and maybe the Rangers will have a new manager. To top it off, the Mavs play the Spurs twice in the next 7 days (once tonight for practice and once next Thursday for real) and the Red Wings visit our hockey town tonight. Let’s hope some Stars fans join the Red Wings fans at the AAC. So, there is not rest for the weary bloggers.

I usually put the email at the end, but to make sure it is tougher to completely ignore, here is a little bit for you up top:

Just wanted to send a quick email thanking you for your blog. I am visiting my wifes family in India and getting any sports news is difficult at best. Thanks to your blog I had to only visit one page to figure out what was happening in the Dallas area. Off to watch the cricket match between India and the West Indies.

Jason

---

Hey Bob,

I would hope the one year anniversary of the BaD Radio Forum tomorrow will merit a mention in Friday's blog, perhaps with a link to encourage blog folks to visit? Former intern, Sean and our leader, Grubes have done a tremendous job in keeping the forum going. They deserve some props.

---And of the 100 “Bad Radio Jinx” emails that were sent to me, this one made me smile the most:

I know you've been getting a ton of this crap but how about a weekly segment with Tim Duncan?I would really look forward to hearing Donovan Mcnabb as well.While we’re at it,a weekly show with a North Korean dictator would be very informative.

As you watch the new quarterback, however, scramble for his life Sunday in Charlotte, save a few boos also for the confused souls wearing Cowboys jerseys who are supposed to be blocking the blitz.

Better yet, boo the assistant coach (Tony Sparano) who is alleged to be coaching them. Sparano is also listed as Bill Parcells' "running game coordinator," not to be confused with Todd Haley, the passing game coordinator.

A quick question: Have these two gentlemen ever met?

So much for Cowboys coordination. Where are the angry callers and the newspaper stories this week, railing about the offense?

Instead, many in the area media appear to be busy this week, dancing at Tony Romo's coronation ball. The only pause was to document Bledsoe's public humiliation after he had visited the principal's office.

Bledsoe handled his news conference with dignity. Meanwhile, resident clown/receiver Terrell Owens was hailing Romo's promotion and saying that he planned to bake cookies for the new quarterback. How classy.

Parcells has wisely told his team not to publicly take sides in the quarterback controversy. But you watch.

Any player who participates in a "survey" or otherwise expresses his QB preference is a coward, because he's helping to deflect the blame from this 3-3 season only to Bledsoe. Losing, disappointing teams are often eager to look for scapegoats, especially when the media -- and the head coach -- are offering one up on a silver-starred platter.

Be generous with your booing, therefore. Not all the worthy targets are named Bledsoe.

For Romo to actually lead Dallas to a Super Bowl, he’d have to do it with the worst pedigree of any big-game quarterback in NFL history. Of the 56 quarterbacks to start the 40 Super Bowls, only St. Louis’ Kurt Warner and Carolina’s Jake Delhomme were, like Romo, neither drafted by an NFL team nor offered a scholarship to a Division I college. Still, Warner (from Northern Iowa) and Delhomme (Louisiana-Lafayette) had some credentials. Warner won an Arena League championship; Delhomme, a title in NFL Europe. Romo (from Eastern Illinois), um, beat out two Drews.

There have been small-school surprises to make Super Bowls, such as Terry Bradshaw (Louisiana Tech), Phil Simms (Morehead State) and Rich Gannon (Delaware), but all were compelling enough in college to at least get drafted. Simply put, Parcells–who had the audacity to compare Romo to Johnny Unitas–is counting on Romo to do something that’s never been done in the history of football. Says Troy Aikman, “I think the Cowboys are crossing their fingers that they’re going to find a diamond in the rough.”

Good luck.

And don’t come in here with those Delhomme comparisons. Last week in Cincinnati Jake threw an interception in the end zone. After 41 red-zone touchdowns, it was the first pick of his career inside an opponents’ 20. Romo threw one on his 25th NFL pass.

Struggling NFL teams occasionally bench starting quarterbacks into a season looking for a spark, as the Cowboys have done this week with Drew Bledsoe.

Most of the time, that team's problems are bigger than the quarterback position. But occasionally the strategy works – twice this decade, in fact. One team even used a quarterbacking change as the impetus for an NFL title.

That was the Baltimore Ravens in 2000. The Ravens were scuffling along at 5-3 with Tony Banks at quarterback. But the offense was nonexistent. Baltimore went 16 consecutive quarters without scoring a touchdown when coach Brian Billick finally benched Banks in favor of Trent Dilfer.

The Ravens went on to win 11 of Dilfer's 12 starts, culminating in a 34-7 romp over the New York Giants in the Super Bowl. Dilfer passed for 12 touchdowns in his eight regular-season starts and three more in the playoffs – generating enough offense for the Ravens to win their first NFL championship.

In 2002, the Pittsburgh Steelers struggled to an 0-2 start and were trailing Cleveland 13-6 in the fourth quarter when coach Bill Cowher yanked Kordell Stewart in favor of Tommy Maddox.

Maddox rallied Pittsburgh to win that game in overtime and then posted an 8-2 record down the stretch to propel the Steelers to an AFC Central title.

So seasons can be salvaged with a strategic change at quarterback. But in the case of both Baltimore and Pittsburgh, an older, more experienced quarterback replaced a younger one. That won't be the case with Tony Romo replacing Bledsoe.

He's 26. His career is in front of him. And the position that has plagued the Cowboys and cost them both monetarily and in wins would finally be settled.

The other scenario is one the Cowboys are familiar with but don't want to think about: What if he doesn't perform to a satisfactory level to play into 2007?"I'm not worried about that," Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said, when asked about Romo's potential impact on the franchise beyond this season.

Why?

"Because I'm worried about this one game," he said.

Beyond this one game, however, there will be free-agent quarterbacks available in the coming winter. But it's not an especially attractive lot; it will likely be occupied by the likes of Aaron Brooks, Kurt Warner, Patrick Ramsey, Jake Plummer, etc.

That would leave the Cowboys to look at the draft. The last time they selected a quarterback was Quincy Carter in the second round of the 2001 draft.

The many components of selecting a quarterback high in the draft have deterred Jones from doing it for only the second time since taking Aikman with the No. 1 pick in 1989. It's the big money. It's a salary cap hit. It's the notion that to pick from a high spot, one season has already been bad and that the season when the rookie quarterback plays probably won't be much better.

And let's not kid ourselves or become delusional with this creeping next-guy syndrome. The odds are stacked heavily against Romo succeeding. Come on, tell me, how many undrafted quarterbacks are starting in the NFL today?

Don't sweat it, got the answer for you: Three out of 32, and one of those, Damon Huard, does so in Kansas City because of the injured Trent Green. The second is Jon Kitna for the 1-5 Detroit Lions, and he first entered the NFL in 1996. And the third is . . . .

Carolina's Jake Delhomme, who didn't earn a starting job until his seventh season in the NFL. And how ironic is this meeting, a collision of sorts for the Cowboys: What might be vs. What could have been.

Remember, Delhomme made a stop here with the Cowboys on his free-agency tour that off-season. Parcells was very interested in the self-made quarterback, who spent his first six years with the Saints. But the Cowboys only offered him a backup opportunity, along with backup pay while Carolina handed him a $1 million signing bonus and the opportunity to compete for a starting job with Rodney Peete a day later.

Why?

The Cowboys wanted to see it through with . . . Quincy Carter, the very same reason that year the Cowboys selected Terence Newman with the fifth pick in the draft instead of grabbing Byron Leftwich, who was drafted by Jacksonville two picks later. Yep, Carter, that guy again.

The Red Sox were once stricken by The Curse of the Bambino; the Cubs are mired in The Curse of the Billy Goat; the Rangers are infected with The Curse of Sucking, and the Sports Illustrated jinx seems alive. But nothing–and I mean nothing–is more lethal than The BaD Radio Curse.

The toxic coagulation of Bob Sturm and Dan McDowell has already claimed as victims Brad Wilkerson (new Rangers acquisition had 116 strikeouts and only 71 hits this season), Bill Guerin (Stars forward hampered by debilitating bloody thigh, released last summer), Gabe Kapler (Rangers brawny slugger sucked, finally traded to Rockies), Dan Campbell (released by Cowboys), Nick Van Exel (traded by Mavs to Golden State in a package that included Antoine Rigadeau) and Bobby Knight (food fight with Tech’s chancellor ring a bell?), who each mysteriously fell on extremely hard times in conjunction with their weekly Ticket show. The latest casualty? You guessed it: Drew Bledsoe.

The former starting quarterback’s show, normally on Wednesday, is pushed back to Thursday at 2 p.m. this week because of the Monday night game against the Giants, during which Bledsoe was pulled to start the second half. If Bledsoe hasn’t up and quit yet, maybe Bob will address the curse with its latest victim.

“I defend this by saying that this is the nature of the beast,” Sturm tries to explain to Unfair Park. “We have been in Dallas since 1998, which means that we could have had any local athlete besides Mike Modano and Dirk Nowitzki on our show and it would have ended the same way. That is pro sports. They may have good times along the way, but it all ends with goodbye.”

Like the Summer Olympics, leap year and presidential elections, the Texas Longhorns can count on something every four years:

A loss to Texas Tech in Lubbock.

It happened in 1994, 1998 and 2002. What about 2006?

---When it comes to visiting West Texas, though, the Longhorns more appropriately have been road kill.

Two of the four losses during their impressive stretch have been in Lubbock, where the Red Raiders won 42-35 in '98 and 42-38 in '02. Since the arrival of Brown, the Longhorns are 2-2 at Tech compared to 23-2 on the road against the rest of the Big 12.

Going back further, Texas is 5-5 in the last 10 meetings on the South Plains and 10-9 since 1968.

The Longhorns' 51-21 victory over the Red Raiders two years ago in Lubbock has been the closest to one-sided in the series' recent history. Seven of the last 10 games have been decided by two touchdowns or less.

The two most recent losses to Tech have come with a high price tag for the Longhorns.In 1998, Texas Tech scored with 25 seconds left to upset No. 18 Texas. The loss clinched the Big 12 South title for Texas A&M.

In 2002, Texas Tech quarterback Kliff Kingsbury threw for 473 yards and six touchdowns to lead the Red Raiders to a 42-38 upset over the No. 4 Longhorns. The late-season loss ruined Texas' chances of reaching the Big 12 title game.

When you’ve gone 18 years without a win in the series, it’s easy to get a little inferiority complex. But the Bears ended that embarrassing string with a 35-34 overtime victory in 2004 and then dominated last year’s game before losing in OT, 16-13. “Our guys don’t feel intimidated by them, by any means,” BU defensive coordinator Bill Bradley said. Baylor’s had its back to the wall since a 1-3 start in conference and still needs to win two of its last four to become bowl-eligible. Maroon attire won’t be hard to find, but with a crowd of more than 45,000 expected, this will be far from Kyle Field North. As of Thursday, Baylor students had already picked up nearly all of their allotment of approximately 11,000 tickets.

Sometimes, life is a matter of timing. There are only three Big 12 games on television Saturday because FSN is showing an afternoon Pac-10 game. Next weekend, there are five windows, which means only one game won't be televised.

Texas A&M fans, understandably, aren't happy that A&M-Baylor wasn't picked up for TV. In an effort to address their concerns, athletic director Bill Byrne spent three pages of his weekly letter to fans on A&M's Web site on TV topics.

Based on some messages from A&M fans, I'm not sure the 12th Man is uniformly satisfied by Byrne's efforts to explain the tangled web of collegiate TV agreements. But he did make some worthwhile and informative points.

Byrne is charged with hewing to the bottom line of A&M athletics, a task that can on occasion conflict with the view of fans who see the athletic department as akin to a public utility — that it has the responsibility to televise every game, regardless of the impact on the bottom line.

Space precludes addressing all of Byrne's points. However, one thing that bears elaboration, pun intended, is what he said about pay per view.

Byrne wrote that A&M will not show a home game on PPV until it sells out Kyle Field on a season-ticket basis. He told me that A&M reserves 30,000 tickets for its student body and has sold about 38,000 season tickets, so it needs to sell another 14,000 to sell out the stadium.

If that sounds like a lot, consider that Texas has sold 74,000 season tickets this season.

Now consider Baylor, which, as the home team, would have the right to put Saturday's game on pay per view. As of last Saturday, Baylor had about 10,000 unsold tickets for the game at Floyd Casey Stadium, which seats about 45,000 when the south end zone is covered with tarps. It decided Thursday to open the end zone, which will increase capacity to 50,000, and is now down to 4,500 unsold tickets in both end zones.

If the game were on PPV, Baylor wouldn't be opening up the end zone, and it certainly would have more unsold tickets. And it would miss out on the concessions revenue generated by those fans, including Aggies, who will come to Waco because the game isn't televised. That will benefit Baylor's coffers more than the 25 percent cut it would receive from pay-per-view revenues.

A Dallas Cowboys coach, his wife and the family's nanny have sued a McDonald's owner, alleging they found a dead rat in a salad purchased at a Southlake restaurant.

The lawsuit, which seeks $1.7 million in damages, was filed Thursday in state district court on behalf of Cowboys passing-game coordinator Todd Haley, his wife, Christine Haley, and the family's live-in baby sitter, Kathryn Kelley. "We tried to work this out," said Scott Casterline, a spokesman for the Haley family.

"We were forced to file a lawsuit. It's a tragic situation for any family to go through.

"Something has to be done to prevent this from ever happening again and to help these ladies to get over this."

Juergen Klinsmann is talking with the U.S. Soccer Federation about the possibility of taking over as coach of the American national team.

Klinsmann, who coached his native Germany to a surprising berth in the World Cup semifinals this summer, is regarded by many as the favorite to replace Bruce Arena, who was told by new USSF president Sunil Gulati in mid-July that his contract would not be renewed.

"We've had a couple of conversations. I'm evaluating everything that comes up," Klinsmann said Thursday in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "I'll stay in touch with Sunil and see what it leads to. It's a very casual and relaxed correspondence."

Klinsmann resigned as Germany's coach three days after the tournament, saying he wanted to spend more time with his family. He lives in suburban Los Angeles with his American-born wife.

"Sooner or later, I have to get back into coaching," Klinsmann said.

Hire him.

And now, for today’s youtube, I offer you the singing Hispanic goal calls and Robot Chicken’s very own Lil Hitler. Enjoy.

Thursday, October 26, 2006

It was a night when the World Series was rained out, so I began to come to terms with that little pain in the very back of my head that I have been ignoring for over 4 months. I watched the Mavericks for most of the 2nd half from Pittsburgh as they beat Cleveland, 83-81. I can’t remember a season that went so well that is remembered so badly, but it happened. I week from tonight the San Antonio Spurs visit Dallas in the season opener. The symmetry is perfect, of course, that the Rangers played themselves out of the race when Cowboys camp was opening. And now, more symmetry as the Cowboys are tanking right as the Mavericks are ready to begin. This is sports in the big city. I love me some Dallas.

Anyway, that is then. Now Tony Romo is the starter, and I am ready to proclaim a personal moratorium on this board about Romo v. Bledsoe. It has been decided, argued, rebutted, re-rebutted, and now we shall move on to Sunday. As a man who knows his way around Wisconsin, I feel a little state pride for the young man, but I fear what John Fox is plotting for Sunday Night.

Heralded but untested, Tony Romo has long been targeted as the Cowboys' quarterback of the future by coach Bill Parcells.

But in making the decision to install Romo as the starter over veteran Drew Bledsoe, Parcells has nothing but the present in mind.

Although the Cowboys (3-3) have struggled through their first six games and are about to embark on three consecutive road games starting Sunday in Carolina, Parcells says the Cowboys still have a chance to do something in 2006. And with 10 games to go in what could be his last season in coaching, he firmly believes Romo gives them the best chance to win because of his mobility.

"I know the business; I've been in it a long time," Parcells said. "They can get the hearses if they want to, but I'm not riding in them yet. Simple as that. I just need to make an attempt to do something that alters kind of what we have been... this thing is a long way from being over."

The season might not be over, but considering Parcells came here in 2003 to return the Cowboys to the Super Bowl, time might be running out on him in Dallas. He has a 28-27 record and just one playoff appearance, and that resulted in a first-round loss.

The thought occurred to me when he was asked Wednesday if it isn't a bad time to be replacing Drew Bledsoe with Tony Romo, what with a three-game road trip coming up. And somehow the question prompted Parcells to invoke the name of John Unitas.

Maybe you know the story: Cut by the Steelers and picked up by the Colts off a semi pro lot, Unitas was forced into action as a rookie. And his first play? An interception.

Sounds like Romo's story, all right. Only let's not get carried away. A football culture primer: For all you kids, Johnny U. was the greatest QB ever in some books. Never mind the flat-top and black high tops. He was tough, brilliant and he'd step on your throat if he had to.

"I'm ashamed to put out a team that plays like that,'' Parcells, the Dallas coach, said Monday night after his Cowboys got drilled by the Giants. He could have been speaking for both men, after Washington's poiseless players contributed to Gibbs' fifth loss this season Sunday at Indianapolis

Weird stat of the week: Gibbs and Parcells both lost 36-22 over the weekend.

Sad stat of the year: These two coaching giants are a combined 46-47 in their NFC East Comeback Tour in regular-season games, 1-2 in the playoffs.

Father Time stat of the year: Gibbs and Parcells are each 65.

We all wonder whether this is the end for both men, whether six months from now Parcells will be at his home in Saratoga Springs awaiting the summer thoroughbred meet and whether Gibbs will be back at his auto-racing garage in North Carolina, plotting how to win a stock car championship. These two used to own the playoffs and won five of the 10 Super Bowls between 1983 and 1992, but are in danger of leaving the game without winning a single postseason game beyond the wild-card round in their final coaching stops.

2. Dallas Stars: Naming Brenden Morrow captain was the right move. The NHL is a young man's game again, and Morrow brings an energy and a youthfulness to an organization that needs good young players desperately. Also, Dallas needs Morrow to score 35 goals this year. He needs to step up his game offensively, and maybe the captaincy will give him a little push in that direction. Dallas still is a bit of an older team, so it will be interesting to see whether the older players can stay healthy and stay energized all year. The Stars also need people like Antti Miettinen to score all year. The Mike Ribeiro trade was clutch. They look like a really good team right now, but we need to keep an eye on them.

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

As much as the owner didn't want to see it, when Cowboys quarterback Drew Bledsoe was benched Monday night it wasn't just for one quarter or one half.

According to a source, Tony Romo will be the starter when the Cowboys play the Panthers on Sunday night in Charlotte, N.C. It would be his first NFL start.

The source said Romo will be with the first-team offense when practice begins today.But the move is one that makes Cowboys owner/general manager Jerry Jones uneasy.

"I've thought the best chance for us to be where we wanted to be, contending in the playoffs, was to go with the experienced quarterback in Drew, and I don't know if I've changed my mind there at all," Jones told reporters while he attended the NFL owners meetings in New Orleans on Tuesday afternoon.

Jones said he did not know who would start Sunday.

"But we have to win games," he said. "We have to give ourselves every opportunity. There is no question Romo has mobility and he can mitigate some of the problems we have with Drew's mobility. On the other hand, you saw [against the Giants] we give up some good stuff experience-wise. It'll be a tough decision."

If you thought Monday was bad, I fear that today is going to be even worse. On Monday, coach Bill Parcells benched Drew Bledsoe in favor of Tony Romo. In his news conference today, I expect Parcells to go back to Bledsoe.

And that's not good news for the long-term recovery of the Dallas Cowboys. Maybe Parcells will surprise me. Maybe he will decide that it's time to roll the dice with Romo. Maybe he will look at Bledsoe's numbers over the last 16 games – 19 touchdowns, 21 interceptions, 52 sacks, an 8-8 record – and decide that the status quo just won't cut it.

But I don't think he will.

I think Parcells will look at the downside of playing Romo and decide that the possible rewards do not justify the risks.

With Bledsoe, the Cowboys aren't going to the Super Bowl, but they aren't going 5-11, either.

With Romo, well, the Super Bowl isn't hanging out there, either. A more positive vibe on the sideline and in the Texas Stadium stands and a glimpse of a brighter future could be on display.

Then again, Romo's three-interception second half puts him on pace for 60 picks the last 10 games, so a slide in the direction of the Washington Redskins is definitely possible.

Romo represents excitement. He would be far more entertaining to watch, and that's true whether you love the Cowboys or hate them. The coaches would have to work overtime to get Romo to curb his tendency to try to make something from nothing. But playing Romo would at least acknowledge that the organization is searching for its future at the game's most pivotal position. Bledsoe is in his 14th year. He's not going to be more mobile in 2007. He's not going to stop making mistakes.

NEW YORK (AP) -- The Chicago Bears' game against the New York Giants at the Meadowlands on Nov. 12 was switched Tuesday by the NFL from an afternoon to a night game, the first under the flexible scheduling format implemented in the new television contract.

The 8:30 p.m. EST game will be televised by NBC instead of Fox. Under the format, the Sunday night time slot had been left vacant, with CBS and Fox each allowed to protect five afternoon games over seven weeks of the season. Each has chosen four and will pick one more.

Custer joins the SNY team having most recently worked at CBS-11 in Dallas for eight years where he served as sports anchor. Prior to that, he worked at the ABC affiliate WSYX-TV for two years, where he served as a sports anchor. Custer began his radio and television career in his hometown of Columbus, Ohio, where he spent a year and a half at 610 WTVN radio. Custer, a life member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and graduate of Hampton University, currently resides in the Tri-State area.

OK- Long story short. I got 246 Cowboys emails in the last 24 hours. Let’s say I spend 90 seconds on each one, that would put me at well over 6 hours to return them. I can’t do it. But, I can make the mail the lion’s share of my blog today. Therefore, if you have an answer already from me, enjoy. Otherwise, I hope your email appears here, or someone else’s email is close enough to yours. I tried to read them all, but I still have some semblance of a life. Sort of. Here it goes with my answers in italics:

The Romo/Bledsoe/Parcells/MNF mailbag

---Tell me about the rabbits, Sports Sturm.

So I think it's about time to see what the Mavs are going to do this season. The Cowboys look like they've decided to finish 3rd this year in the division.

Sigh...

Jay

I wish I could argue with you, Jay. This looks really bad. I am happy the Ticket sends us to the Super Bowl regardless of the Cowboys.---I think the season will turn out the same way with either Bledsoe or Romo. One is incompetent and the other is young. The only question is which one you want to fail with.

Kevin Hugghins

I think they both may be incompetent, Kevin. But, one is young. He’s got that going for him…which is nice.---Romo or Bledsoe? Either one, same result - mediocrity.

At least Romo has a potential upside. Bledsoe seems like a good guy,he seems like a stand up guy but he is what he is and he isn't going to get any better.

I am not saying that Romo is the next great Cowboy QB, but I amsaying that Blesdoe is definitely not, and this team is obviously still a work in progress.

Later,Mike

Mike, this is what I hear from everyone. Bledsoe is not the guy, Romo could be the guy. Based on what? What have we honestly seen from Romo to indicate he may be the guy, other than the fact that he has remained employed for 4 years? Trust me, I think the kid has something, but that may mean he could be a fine backup and then work his way into being a QB coach down the road. To suggest he could be the next great QB is wishful thinking based on the idea that any player in pro football who has not reached the age of 30 could be the next superstar if given a chance. While that is mathematically possible, it is not bloody likely. How do we know Nate Jones is not the next Deion Sanders if we don’t play him? How do we know that Tyson Thompson isn’t Gale Sayers? Skylar Green? The point here is that youth is a great trait, but it doesn’t make someone good. There are young people everywhere. Matt Baker is the next QB on the Cowboys radar. And how do we know he isn’t Tom Brady?

---

I'm not a Parcells hater at all....but yanking Bledsoe at halftime was a huge mistake. I think even Big Bill will acknowledge that. You're down 5. You get the ball to start the 2nd half...Bledsoe knows he made a horrible throw to Glenn...better chance that he nuts up and does something on that 1st drive than hand it to a guy who cant even be called a journeyman. I mean if Bledsoe has a bad 1st or 2nd series in the 2nd half...and the Giants score to take a commanding lead...THAN maybe, maybe, maybe you make a change. I think panic mode set in.

Ahhhhh, the Parcells hating Dallas media (Rhyner, Dale, Galloway)...this is Christmas in October

What the heck was Parcells thinking??

I wish the Parcells hating media was wrong. I am starting to wonder.

---It is not T.O. though...and it is not Bledsoe...it is the freaking offensive line. I swear, the lingerie bowl girls could have sacked Bledsoe last night. I had a Pop Warner football team that could own that O-line. I stopped watching when Bledsoe threw the interception at the end of the first half, they were done in the first quarter. I would rather watch the final week of the Rangers season on TIVO than to waste my time watching a bunch of over paid pussies get blown off the line time after time after time.

Kevin Conrad

OK, look: There is nothing that would make you watch the final week of the Rangers season on Tivo. Let’s not even joke like that, Kevin. ---

Hi Bob,

Positioning statement: I am neither a Bledsoe lover or hater, that being said...

Even though pulling Bledsoe was a drastic move, couldn't it be looked at like a hockey coach pulling his goalie? When Turco gets yanked, there's no doubt (excluding injury) that he'll go back in the next game. I don't know why sitting Bledsoe, because of a shelling, means that he'sdone for the year. Is it just a football thing that when the QB gets pulled, that's it, no more of this guy?

What about when a Ranger pitcher gets pulled when he sucks (wait a sec, that's every night)? Or when Avery benches a starter in the first couple minutes for not "geeting yawr hainds up"?

Just wanted to touch the football page with the hockey page...

bye,

Jason Bang

I do think pulling a QB is different. But, I have a real hard time believing this was a strict “performance-based” pulling from the Giants game alone. It looks like a bigger picture statement from Parcells to me that says he has seen enough of Drew Bledsoe, and does not wish to see more.

---Bob –The change needed to be made and I agree with the Tuna’s call. I imagine Bill felt if the team is going to play like crap anyway we might as well see what the kid has got? I feel Romo has a bigger upside potential than Bledsoe. We need to know if he is the one. With ten games left we should have a pretty good idea. If this season goes down the drain so be it. We were headed down there anyway with this offensive line. Aikman was punished game after game when he came in and turned out to be a hall of fame player. I’m not saying that Romo is Aikman, but he deserves a chance these last ten games to prove himself. It’s the risk / reward thing. He’s worth the risk if he turns out to be our starting QB next year.P1 from Day 1

John Irving, Texas

He deserves it? By default maybe. There is no “deserve” in pro sports. You may never get your chance. If you do, it may last 1 game. It falls to him to seize the moment, and 3 interceptions in 30 minutes is not seizing it. But he certainly does not deserve 10 games to demonstrate his ability to play at this level.

---Dearest Sportsy Radio Humans,

As an unfortunate Foreskins fan, the only joy left in my NFL life is Cowboys failure and the next day's gloom and doom on The Ticket. I've enjoyed all day (even listened to Norm), but your show has been the cherry on top of my sundae of post-Cowboys-loss delight. Even I couldn't have anticipated the depth of the Cowboys despair you would send across the airwaves today. It has made my day, and I love you both.

Failure and frustation to the Cowboys,Roger Smith

Glad we could help you, Roger. ---

Bob,

Tony Romo was a disaster last night!!!!!

I am positive you are too intelligent to argue that he showed some promise last night as others around the country claim (due to inflated passing yards). The yards were heavily skewed by a few big gains in which Romo threw into multiple coverages but was bailed out by impressive catches by Glenn, Owens, and Witten.

Which brings me to the BRUTAL interceptions. What in the world was he looking at? On the screen, he was locked in on the RB and still threw it to him even though two Giants were embattled in a blocking battle with Jones.

Usually, on a tipped ball you give the QB some leniency, but Romo threw the ball at the guys chest!

I vaguely remember you saying in July that if the Cowboys had to go to Romo the season was over. Well, its over!

Please provide hope to a frustrated Cowboys fan that already was forced to move to Phily in July!

Jason M. Mallory, PhD

Let’s not forget the Offensive Lines role in all of this. There is no QB who was going to succeed behind those 5 matadors.---The sky has fallen, the season is over, the Romo experiment has begun, oh no! Funny, couple of years ago the media was calling for Drew Henson, to see if that ex-pitcher could play, and everyone said Big Bill was an idiot for not finding out about the guy. Now, it’s reversed! Maybe you guys should give a HOF coach the benefit of the doubt. Let’s just suppose that Big Bill already new what Henson could do, seen any other takers on that gem? A cardinal rule of coaching is if your older player, (in this case a 34 year old immobile Drew Bledsoe who is a class act, but cannot operate behind our current line) is only as good as a younger player, a 26 year old inexperienced Romo, than you go younger and find out what you have like everyone wanted when Vinny was here. Oh, and don’t tell me the season is over now b/c we benched our experienced 50 year veteran who still makes decisions like a young Brett Favre. It isn’t gonna get any worse than it was…Bob, I love your takes, I love your show, but if you watched the first 5 and a half games of this season and thought they were going to the playoffs with Bledsoe, to steal your line, “Your Freakin” Nuts!!!” I don’t know if Romo will suck as bad as you think, or be as great as some myopic fans think he will, but he’ll do as well as Bledsoe. Sincerely,Get on With the FutureSo you know what to draft for ‘07

For the record, I never wanted to see Henson. I had a pretty good idea that Chutch, Henson, and even Quincy couldn’t play based on my “if they choose baseball over football, there was a reason – they were not as good at football” theory. And, I know this may cause people to cuss me, but yes, I do think with reasonable OL play, Drew Bledsoe could help this team get to 9 or 10 wins. It is not like he has never accomplished that. ---

Hey BaD Radio:

I keep hearing the bashing of those of us who have been calling for Tony Romo. We are not saying that Tony Romo is better than Drew Bledsoe (we're not that delusional), we are saying is that if we already know (which we do) that Bledsoe is not taking this team any farther than we have been the last several years, why prolong the agony? Regardless of the offensive line (which I agree has major issues), we have stuck with Bledsoe for years and have not moved one iota from where we have been. Remember the saying, it's easier to fire a coach than it is is to fire the players, the same thing applies to quarterbacks...it's easier to fire the quarterback than the entire offensive line.

The fact is...when Tony Romo throws 3 interceptions in a game, of course we're still mad but in the back of our minds, we know that he is new, he's learning and he'll get better. When Bledsoe throws 3 interceptions in a game, we all know that this is as good as it gets. He has been in the league over 13 years and he is who he is and he's not getting any better. A few years ago when the Giants started Eli Manning, we felt so superior because we were the better team and we were winning more games; but we failed to understand that they were planning for the future while we were walking in quicksand. Now, here we are years later and they are steadily moving forward and we are still walking in quicksand.

Our message is not that Romo is better, it's that if Romo is indeed the future of this organization, then let's quit managing mediocrity and start planning for the future of this team!Best,P-1 Dvorah

That is the rub. We don’t know that he is the future of the organization. What team has ever declared an un-drafted QB as their future before he has started one game? This is a total shot in the dark based on default. He is the other QB on the roster. He did not win the job. I like the kid, and wish him well, but I think many have this thing confused. Eli Manning was the #1 pick in the draft. 90% of NFL Personnel experts thought he was the best player in the draft. There is a very, very short list of undrafted QBs who have been successful in the NFL. Kurt Warner and Jeff Garcia beat the system for a few years before they fizzled, and Jake Delhomme is another. But the odds are very similar to your odds of winning the powerball.

---

Bob...it sounds like to me you made the dumb "National Media" type statement. "Romo had multiple interception games during the preseason". Of course, in additional to the whole game he played, I assume the rest of his playing time came against 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc....cut players. But, look at his stats below:

http://www.nfl.com/stats/leaders/NFL/PYDS/2006/pre

Furthermore, wasn't on the play Tony Romo bandwagon BUT, I was on the wagon saying that a "seasoned" veteran QB such as Bledsoe shouldn't be making the idiot goal line interceptions and taking the dumb sacks.........I do agree that the O-LINE, Fasano and J.Jones need to block better.....Marion Barber should have been in the game earlier....he is a better back than J.J. right now. I also agree that some of the interceptions are the WR's fault.

Bottom line is that if Bledsoe is going to make those mistakes then I'd rather have a young QB (with potential upside) making them with a hope towards the future...if you know what I mean. I've been listening to a Denver station (for Fantasy purposes) and all they talk about is Cutler and Plummer and if Shanahan is dumbing down the offense because he doesn't trust Plummer or if Plummer just can't make the plays. Furthermore, it sounds like the report is true that if Plummer plays bad and/or can't beat Indy or Pitt. that Cutler will get some playing time because if Plummer can't beat those teams now he's not going to beat them in the playoffs or enough of those type of teams to make it to the Bowl.

The season is not down the drain....yet....give Romo a couple of weeks....maybe they'll give him some playoff experience.....SEE Big Ben.....I'm not saying that is going to happen but it is a possibility.

You can't blame it all on Bledsoe but the Coach at least wants a bus driver he can trust.

P.S. I called the 1st Romo interception before it happened....ask my wife......

Go Cowboys....

Anthony

I was fired up so I may have mis-spoke, but my point was that he threw multiple interceptions in the preseason, not that he threw multiple interceptions in multiple games this preseason. I believe his TD/INT was a very average 3/3-

And the only thing Big Ben and Tony Romo have in common is that they are both humans. Otherwise, one was a top 11 pick and the other was undrafted after 250 picks.

---I found out this afternoon Parcells lives in an apartment in Las Colinas. Tell me he is going to be here another year or two WHEN THE GUY RENTS AN APARTMENT.

Gone. Robb

I now forecast an 80% chance of retirement at the end of 2006 ---That fat piece of crap Parcells is the reason for this. Quit bagging on the defense. If anyone played out there as much as they did, they would be worn out also. The problem is with the offense and the dumbass playcalling. Thank you, Bill Parcells. Yeah he needs to shop for groceries and thats it. The game has passed him by as a playcaller. It sucks. He is not a progressive guy. He is a happy in misery guy.

Lest we forget Philadaelphia, driving for a tie and Bledsoe screws up.Lose by 14, but it was not that big (14 pts) of a diff.

New York, 1 st Half driving for a score to take the lead Bledsoe screwed up.New York. 2nd half driving for a TD Romo screws up.We only lost by 14 points with that dumbass interception.

If we win out in the Division, we have the tiebreaker over anyone if Philly loses one more.

Just look at the stats . NY 328Dal 379

The sky is not falling, Bledsoe will start next week. But the playcalling has to get better

UT Scott

How tired was the defense on the first drive of the game? And did you just claim to me that since the Cowboys outgained the Giants that things weren’t so bad Monday night? Wow. Enjoy your bong

---

THESE ARE MY OPINIONS AND I'M STICKING TO THEM (AT LEAST UNTIL I'M PROVEN WRONG, AT WHICH TIME I'LL DENY THEM).

WHAT A MESS? I'VE ABOUT HAD IT WITH THESE COWBOYS. FOR THE LAST 46 YEARS, I HAVE BEEN THE MOST LOYAL COWBOY FAN POSSIBLE. I HAVE ENDURED ALL THE HIGHS AND LOWS AND STAYED TRUE. AFTER LAST NIGHT, I'M ABOUT READY TO START PULLING AGAINST AMERICA'S TEAM. GOD MUST HAVE HELD HIS HEAD IN SHAME AFTER THE SPECTACLE LAST NIGHT.

WE NOW HAVE AN OVER-THE-HILL COACH, AN OVER-EXPOSED QUARTERBACK (PROBABLY ON THE BENCH), AN OVER-THE-TOP RECEIVER WHO CAN'T SPELL TEAM, AN IN-OVER-THEIR-HEADS OFFENSIVE LINE AND AN OVER-RATED NEW QUARTERBACK, WHICH THE FANS OF DALLAS DESERVE. I WAS GETTING SICK AND TIRED OF ROMO SUCKING UP TO T.O. EVERY TIME THEY WERE ON THE SIDELINE TOGETHER ANYWAY. LET'S SEE HOW MUCH THEY LOVE EACH OTHER NOW THAT THEY ARE ON THE FIELD TOGETHER ALL THE TIME.

I THINK THAT, LIKE JIMMY JOHNSON, IN MIAMI THAT PARCELLS IS STILL LIVING OFF HIS LAURELS FROM THE PAST. HE HASN'T KEPT UP WITH THE MODERN NFL. DREW BLEDSOE IS WHAT HE IS AND JERRY JONES AND PARCELLS KNEW THAT WHEN HE WAS BROUGHT HERE AND INSTEAD OF DRAFTING AND SIGNING GOOD OFFENSIVE LINEMEN, THEY CONCENTRATED ON BRINGING IN HAS-BEENS LIKE MARCO RIVERA AND NEVER-WERES LIKE KYLE KOSIER. THEY DRAFTED NON-FACTORS LIKE CARPENTER AND FASANO INSTEAD OF BIG OFFENSIVE LINEMEN. I DON'T SEE HOW ANYONE CAN FAULT BLEDSOE TOO MUCH. HE'S DOING WHAT HE'S ALWAYS DONE. THIS LINE COULDN'T BLOCK FOR ENNIS HIGH SCHOOL.

THE FANS IN DALLAS DESERVE WHATEVER THEY GET. THEY ARE MOSTLY A GROUP OF WHINY, UNINFORMED SPORTS FANS WHO WOULD BACK THE DEVIL AND HITLER IF THEY COULD BRING WINS TO DALLAS.

I DON'T DISAGREE WITH BENCHING BLEDSOE, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE ENTIRE OFFENSIVE LINE SHOULD ALSO BE BENCHED. I DON'T THINK ROMO IS THE ANSWER EITHER. ALL THOSE YEARS OF STRIVING TO WIN 5 GAMES FOR THE SEASON COST THE COWBOYS SOME GOOD DRAFT CHOICES, ALTHOUGH I'M NOT SURE PARCELLS AND JONES COULD DETERMINE GOOD TALENT IF IT WERE IN FRONT OF THEM.

I WILL CONTINUE TO WATCH, BUT NOW I AM HOPING THAT THE COWBOYS LOSE THE REST OF THEIR GAMES AND THAT OWENS WON'T CATCH ANOTHER PASS, BLEDSOE WILL RETIRE, ROMO WILL FALL ON HIS FACE, PARCELLS WILL BE FIRED AND JONES WILL SELL THE TEAM.

THANKS FOR LETTING ME VENT.

ALL CAPS MAKE ME FEEL LIKE YOU ARE YELLING AT ME. Congrats on the first Hitler reference on the blog in a long time.---

Your rant to begin the show is spot on for me. I felt the exact same way last night. I was thinking the Cowboys had a chance to be 4-2, in first place and real in charge of their destiny. I was not buying the nonsense from the announcers for getting rid of Bledsoe for getting sacked because the right side of the offensive line and Jason Witten and Fasano had a complete inability to block anyone.

When Bledsoe threw the interception in the endzone, I made a note to myself, that Romo would start the second half, and I was not really in a position to fight it. It was a brain-dead mistake by Bledsoe, but I accepted the Romo fans were going to win out. I also noted that it was a make-or-break moment. If he succeeded, the team would roll. If it failed, the season was over. No turning back, no looking to next week, no holding your chin up.

As you said, it got ugly fast and was just a huge mess. This team has so many issues that go beyond the QB that it doesn't matter who was back there, and in hindsight putting Romo in was probably a very bad move because it is something you can't ever take back. The offensive line still sucks. The tight ends still can't block. Bill Parcells still cut the only fullback on the team. I don't understand an offense where we have 5 tightends who can't block and no fullback. It is dumb. Especially since none of the tightends have been catching the ball this year.

Finally... The B&D curse is real. You guys killed Drew Bledsoe. You Bastards.

Trust me. That curse is now recognized and in my head. On the other hand, how great was Bledsoe last year? Bo and Jim are to blame for 2005. ---

Sturm,

Is it just me or are some people just dumb? Why is it that fans are screaming for Romo? He had a great pre-season, but so what. Defenses in the pre-season aren't breaking out all of their complex schemes and blitz pacakages. They are saving those for the regular season. Romo is going to get annialated if he starts the rest of the season. Bledsoe hasn't been that good, but the offensive line is HORRIBLE! I think the coaching is horrible too. I don't think the coaching staff has done a real good job of putting this team in a position to win some of these games. Romo may be the long term answer for the Cowboys, but not this season. And waiting in the wings is Terrell Owens. He is just a time bomb. If Romo starts the rest of the season and the Cowboys go in the crapper, T.O. is going to explode and it will be even uglier than it already is. Later.

Trey

Owens is clearly the interesting factor in this whole mess. Do you think he will afford Tony Romo the proper respect in the huddle and on the sideline? What about in the media? This could get out of hand on Sunday with another nationally televised Terrell Show.

---Bob,

You know, before he got here, Bledsoe was so much more mobile and a good decision-maker in the pocket. And Kyle Kosier and Marco Colombo were really solid blockers. And Roy Williams heretofore has been a dependable cover guy.

Oh, wait. Bledsoe has ALWAYS been an immobile statue who holds the ball way too long and makes the knuckleheaded play at critical times. And Kosier and Colombo were low quality journeymen who couldn't hang on in a league starving for quality offensive linemen. And Roy Williams has never been able to cover anyone. Ever. Anywhere.

But the Teflon Tuna (a) brought Bledsoe here just a year ago and now acts surprised that the guy is doing what he has always done, (b) ignored the OL position in the last two drafts and instead chosen to go with a patchwork collection of castoffs, but acts surprised when journeymen play like journeymen, and (c) stubbornly keeps Williams in a position he is incapable of playing and doesn't bother trying to find a safety who can cover. In light of these facts, why are we even remotely surprised about what's on the field?

As Parcells so frequently says, you are what you are. And, at the end of the day, Dallas is exactly what Parcells created: a patchwork collection of washed-up "Parcells" guys, other teams' castoffs, ill-fitting parts playing out of position and "wing and a prayer" gambles like Romo. That's a recipe for mediocrity and, well, that's what we've got.

Dave in Tulsa

A-freaking-men to that last paragraph. It is a sad state of affairs around here right now ---How many 6’2”quarterbacks that don’t have the talent of Joe Montana have reasonable success in this league? There has to be a reason for that… and I don’t know how Romo would be any different than the unsuccessful ones.

We are about to find out, but I fear the outcome of this one. ---You can’t win with a rookie quarterback? I guess the Chargers have no chance this season? I guess my Rams didn’t get beat by Brady? Romo has been groomed, and Peter King needs to be credited for calling this in the preseason. This team with that line was going nowhere with Bledsoe so why not take a chance?

Joseph LaCroix

Before we canonize Peter King, could someone remind me who he had in the Super Bowl? Oh yeah, Dallas. What a genius. I love the guy, too, but c’mon. As for Phillip Rivers, once again, he was the #4 pick in the 2004 draft. Highly thought of. And Tom Brady is the Terrell Davis of QB’s. Somehow he snuck through 200 teams on draft day. Lightning struck. It can happen again. Maybe.

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

• Let’s get this out of the way right now: The Cowboys are in complete disarray. How this happened so quickly is hard for me to put into words. I swear, around 7:30, we were talking about how they are one evening of football from being alone in first place in what we considered to be the best division in football. Then, by 8:30 we were all quite sure that this team should not be considered a favorite to win almost any game they have left on the schedule. That must be some sort of record for a team that did not lose any significant player to injury in that one hour. The entire house of cards collapsed last night, and I hate to agree with those that knee jerk, but it is hard not to agree when one of the chief knee jerkers appears to be the Head Coach of the team.

• Someone suggested that when you have 2 QBs that appear so close, then you really have none. I thought the first half and second half of the Monday Night mauling demonstrated that with perfect clarity. Where the plot twists to take us next Sunday is anyone’s guess. But, wow. I swear, they were only down 12-7 at the half. This was still a winnable game that could have made you 4-2. When you pulled your veteran QB, you pulled your season off the table. This is not to say you were going to win the Super Bowl this year, but this is to say what I believe to be obvious: As average as you may thing Bledsoe is, and as promising as you may think Romo is, you had to expect exactly what you saw out of Romo if you have ever watched pro football before yesterday. That is exactly what new QB’s do against good defenses. And if you thought that was bad, wait to see what Carolina does against him when they have a week to game plan. In one halftime strategy session, Bill Parcells removed Jerry Jones from the “All-In” hand that he promised everyone last spring when he signed Terrell Owens. They just folded before seeing the flop for 2006. I sure hope they know what they are doing.

• This offensive line is the reason why there are in this mess to begin with. Check that. This front office is the reason why the offensive line is a mess. Bobby Carpenter and Anthony Fasano are the two most pedestrian top draft picks in NFL History it would seem. To spend valuable picks on guys who make no impact, and to spend valuable dollars on Wide Receivers and Kickers when the heart of your OL looked so bad last December, you must wonder what the heck the Cowboys brain trust was thinking. It is ok for fans to live with some optimism, but your decision makers in personnel must be able to see something for what it is. This offensive line would not be suitable for pretty much any QB.

• The New York Giants are good.

• A quick message to Cowboys fans who have Romo optimism. I really like the kid. Many who see the kid play (including me) have labeled his style somewhat “Favre-like”. So, it may interest you to hear what the first few years of Favre were like: A lot of heart. A lot of interceptions. Many plays you really get excited. But through it all, you will see excitement – basically much of what you saw last night. Now, whether he is another flash in the pan gun-slinger or one of the most prolific passers in the history of the game will come down to his ability to learn very quickly. But for Cowboys fans who have not had to deal with a crazy improvisational QBs since before Troy Aikman, this could be unsettling. Gun slingers will gamble at every opportunity. Whether he is a good gun slinger or a poor one will be decided on the scoreboard.

• Drew Bledsoe took a shot at Bill Parcells last night on the way to his car. He called it a “bad decision” to pull him at the half. He has also said he would not be a backup again, after his experiences in Foxboro and Buffalo. Should we expect a retirement this week? He certainly doesn’t need the money.

• Terrell Owens cost this team mightily on that dropped 4th down pass. I certainly don’t care to see a smile on his cocky face moments later. Make no mistake: Your patience for him will likely dissipate quickly now that the season is in the tank.

• What did Bledsoe see on the pass that may have ended his career? There was no place to throw the football when Terry Glenn was totally covered by Sam Madison. He wasn’t open and the decision was brutal. If you just take the FG, you are only down 12-10 at the half. Why force it in there? Why was Owens such a small part of the game-plan again through the first 5 possessions? Why did they use Witten so little again? Well, Romo is looking for Witten and Owens at every opportunity, so now we can look ahead. I just don’t understand how we got to this point.

• I don’t believe Michael Strahan is washed up.

• Lost in all of the blame on the OL and QB is the fact that the defense has once again let down the team. They allowed several more big plays on Monday night. This Cowboys team needed domination from its defense and has gotten nothing of the kind. For all of the money and draft picks sunk into this unit, you would certainly expect more. But, alas, it is a very average defense. The Giants defense is so much better.

• Except DeMarcus Ware. He is a man-child.

• Best Line of the Morning by some guy on Sportscenter: Lucky Tony Romo is more mobile than Drew Bledsoe, it helps him run down interceptions better. Seriously, at what level of football was that screen pass interception acceptable?

• Tiki Barber looks like he could still play plenty of football. His elusive ability at this age is far superior than he seemed in his mid-20’s. I have all the respect in the world for Tiki.

• Nothing makes me more crazy than seeing Eli Manning play well at Texas Stadium. He put several passes up for grabs and the Cowboys let them slip through their fingers – kind of like the season. That QB is over-rated, but he looked just fine last night.

• What an incredible departure for Bill Parcells to look ahead. 2006 is now an elongated 2007 preseason. Is this the same coach that rode out Vinny for 16 games in 2004? I really didn’t think that Parcells had it in him to roll with a young QB. It must be an indication of what he thought Bledsoe had left.

• Nice blitz pickup on Arrington on that flea-flicker. Witten and Jones could not contain a stinking Linebacker together? I am not saying that was an automatic touchdown, but it would be nice if your QB could throw the ball without someone hitting his arm on the throw.

• Roy Williams cannot cover anyone in pass defense. No offense, but he cannot do it. He does many things well, but coverage will never be one of them.

• How would you like to be a fly on the wall in Jerry Jones office today?

Monday, October 23, 2006

In Game 2 on Sunday night at Comerica Park, in a must-win game for the Tigers by all accounts, Rogers turned the St. Louis Cardinals into goo, pitching eight shutout innings en route to a 3-1 victory before a sellout crowd of 42,533 on a cold October night.

"He's been unbelievable," third baseman Brandon Inge said. "When a guy goes out there and gives you performances like that, it's pretty easy to win ballgames.

"All you have to do is get him a couple of runs and he kind of takes care of the rest."

Rogers' latest gem, which included screams and fist-pumps from the mound as he mowed down the Cards, tied this best-of-seven series at 1-1.

In the division series against the Yankees, Rogers pitched 7 2/3 scoreless innings in a 6-0 victory. In the American League Championship Series, Rogers pitched 7 1/3 shutout innings in a 3-0 victory over the A's.

Rogers, who kept the ball down and hit his spots almost at will, has pitched 23 scoreless innings this postseason. The record is 27 by Christy Mathewson in the World Series.

"I'm no Christy Mathewson, that's for sure, but I've had scoreless streaks before," said Rogers, who is 3-0 in the postseason. "I'm so glad it's happening now for us as a team, it helps us win."

Before the game, many wondered if Rogers was going to wilt. After all, in his previous starts there was no pressure on him. The Tigers weren't behind in those series when he took the mound. Not here. The last thing the Tigers could afford was to be down 0-2. They lost Game 1, 7-2, on Saturday night.

"We needed this game today," catcher Pudge Rodriguez said. "And he came through for us."

I don't expect a ring, or anything showy like that, understand. Just a check, to show his appreciation for my small role in helping usher him out of Texas and into his first Fall Classic. Something in five figures will be just fine, thank you very much.

Somehow, though, I doubt he's going to give credit where credit is due.

Kenny made yet another sweet, media-charming appearance in the interview room Saturday afternoon as a prelude to his Game 2 start. He was calm, he was gracious, he was illuminating and extraordinarily cooperative.

I didn't even need sugar for my coffee. Just having him in the room was enough.But what almost no one in that interview room knew -- including me, until after he'd done his snake-charmer routine and had departed -- was that just before he walked in he'd instructed Tigers' and major league PR officials not to recognize any reporters from Texas, just in case they might have the audacity to ask him a question.

If I'd known I would have hogged the interview-room mike. Later, I made sure to station myself by the Tigers' dugout, so I could be sure and "accidentally" bump into the left-hander when he came out for batting practice.

Kenny was a little startled when he looked up and saw me standing there, but he nodded politely and said hello before he could stop himself.

Still wishing he was pitching in Texas? Forget it. The Rangers couldn't keep him, and Kenny didn't want to play any more for Buck Showalter anyway, so that lament goes nowhere. It was a money year for Rogers in 2005, and money drives him crazy.It couldn't have worked out better for him. He's obviously happy, he's pitching better than he ever has in his life, and he has the Tigers on the verge of a world championship.

Drew Bledsoe, the 34-year-old quarterback of the Cowboys, is often compared to a statue, and it has little to do with his 6-foot-5 frame. On passing downs, Bledsoe usually accepts the snap, takes a few steps back and stops. It is as if he has stepped into shallow quicksand.

This has led to the popular presumption that Bledsoe is an easy target for defensive ends, linebackers and other quarterback-hungry defenders. And it touches upon the misunderstood relationship between mobility and sacks.

There is often little correlation between the speed of a quarterback and the frequency with which he is tackled for a loss.

“This isn’t easy pickings just because Bledsoe isn’t as mobile as some of the quarterbacks we’ve faced in the past,” linebacker Brandon Short said.

This season’s statistics quash the belief that Bledsoe is little more than a well-paid tackling dummy. He has been sacked 12 times in five games. When measured by the number of sacks allowed per pass play, the Cowboys ranked 18th among the N.F.L.’s 32 teams in pass protection before yesterday’s games.

That was better than the Pittsburgh Steelers (No. 22), the Seattle Seahawks (No. 27), the Cincinnati Bengals (No. 29), and the Falcons (No. 31) — each with strong offensive lines and more mobile, Pro Bowl-caliber quarterbacks.

Even Giants quarterback Eli Manning, sacked 11 times this season (8 against the Seahawks), is thrown for a loss with roughly the same frequency as Bledsoe.

“He’s not Michael Vick — take the ball and run it to the sideline, run the option and that type of thing,” Giants Coach Tom Coughlin said of Bledsoe. “They do move him out of the pocket, and they’ve done a good job protecting the passer. He presents a whole different array of problems.”

Bledsoe is known for being relatively immobile, and the Cowboys — after allowing 49 sacks last season, second highest in the league — compensate accordingly. They often use two tight ends and keep a running back in as last-ditch protection against oncoming defenders. They double-team the best pass rushers. They roll him out occasionally. And Bledsoe, certainly aware of his limitations and no fan of being pummeled, is usually quick to throw the ball with his strong arm.

In other words, there are a couple of reasons for the scattershot correlation between mobility and sacks. Mobile quarterbacks like Vick are sometimes reluctant to release the ball and end up scrambling into sacks. And teams with immobile quarterbacks can learn to adjust.

The Cowboys have been effective handling extra pass rushers. When opponents blitz, Bledsoe is 30 of 53 (56.6 percent) for 357 yards, with two touchdowns and an interception — and only six sacks, according to Stats LLC. His completion percentage and overall passer rating rise when he is blitzed.

Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman will be suspended four games for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy, according to a report posted Sunday night on ESPN.com.The 22-year-old Merriman, last year's NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, was initially to be suspended last week alongside two other players, the Web site reported, citing people with knowledge of the suspension whom the report did not identify.

On a Saturday when his school's football team wasn't nearly as good as advertised, all the fifth-ranked Longhorns asked Bailey to do was save their season.

Bailey, a walk-on sophomore who had never tried a college kick, hit a 22-yard field goal into swirling snow flurries with 23 seconds left to lift UT to a 22-20 victory over No. 17 Nebraska at Memorial Stadium.

Bailey didn't board the team bus Saturday intent on becoming a hero. It just kind of worked out that way.

His kick — which came after starter Greg Johnson missed two field goals and had an extra point blocked — allowed UT (7-1, 4-0 Big 12) to run its streak of consecutive Big 12 victories to 19 and keep alive dim hopes for a second-straight berth in the BCS championship game.

It also perpetuated a mastery over the Cornhuskers that, for the Longhorns, is nearing mystical proportions.

How close did all of the above come to ending in Nebraska? UT needed two late fumble recoveries — one to get the ball and one to keep it — just to stage a chance for a never-heard-of-him kicker to win the game.

For the cursed Cornhuskers (6-2, 3-1), who had cited this game as a chance to reintroduce themselves as a national power, Bailey's boot was like a punch to the gut. They have dropped three-straight home games to UT, the most lopsided of them a down-to-the-wire 20-16 affair in 1998.

Why is it easier to follow Liverpool FC than Aggie Football? It would seem living in Texas that the Fighting Texas Aggies would occasionally be on television. Instead, We read the details of a dramatic win in Stillwater …and, the Baylor game next week isn’t on either!

His teammates meanwhile were exhaling, "Thank you, Jorvorskie." Lane's first down on an acrobatic catch kept alive a key drive in the No. 23 Aggies' rousing 34-33 come-from-behind, overtime victory over Oklahoma State before 43,006 hushed fans on a homecoming Saturday.

A&M (7-1, 3-1 Big 12), thanks to Red Bryant's blocked point-after attempt in OT, earned its third consecutive league victory, and third straight over OSU (4-3, 1-2). The Aggies' "Wrecking Crew" defense also knocked Cowboys starting quarterback Bobby Reid out of the game in the first half with a concussion.

Still, A&M trailed 27-20 with 1:43 remaining, when Lane reached back for a twisting, one-armed catch from quarterback Stephen McGee on fourth-and-13 from the A&M 32-yard line. Lane, a 276-pound tailback, served as the play's third option.

"We could have finished it off right there," Cowboys coach Mike Gundy said. Instead, Lane gained 17 yards, and A&M wound up marching the ball 65 yards to tie the game with three seconds remaining.

"All that catching in practice paid off," Lane said, grinning.

Hitch Fired …so, I guess when I said he will win a cup within 3 years in Philadelphia, I was wrong…

Ken Hitchcock said he was working out about 6 a.m. yesterday when assistant general manager Paul Holmgren interrupted him to say he had been fired as coach of the Flyers.

"I thought I had those five days [to turn it around]," said Hitchcock, referring to the time before the team's next game on Thursday. "This comes with the territory."Hitchcock, 54, had coached the Flyers since the 2002-03 season. His record here was 131-83-40. The Flyers are 1-6-1 this season, their worst start in 17 years.There will be speculation as to whether Hitchcock, who succeeded Bill Barber as Flyers coach, would have survived if Bob Clarke had not resigned as general manager yesterday.

"I am tied to Clarkie," Hitchcock said. "There has to be such a personal relationship between the general manager and coach. The relationship is a very emotional one, and it has to be there. The same thing happened in Dallas. The GM [Bob Gainey] resigned [in 2002], and in fairness to allow the team to grow, I went the same day."

Rather than goals, assists and shots, they're examining an on-ice grid that shows who scored how often from where, and who produced most at different points of a game. That info is then used to project the output a team can expect from a certain player and help attach a dollar-value to him.

Welcome to the world of statistical analysis, which is no longer the domain of baseball alone. Slowly, similar thinking is creeping into hockey's executive ranks as teams seek ways to improve decision-making in the salary-cap era.

"I think it has to," Craig Button, pro scout for the Toronto Maple Leafs, said Thursday from Denver. "When you're looking at a salary-cap system, you have to find value out there."

Button isn't the only believer.

Los Angeles Kings general manager Dean Lombardi and his staff are busy developing new concepts for evaluation, closely guarding their emerging methodology.

Lombardi declined to discuss the matter when reached Thursday but recently told the Los Angeles Daily News: "It requires almost a cultural change to get your staff thinking a certain way and that's what we're working toward."

A University of Texas student has reserved the state Capitol's south steps for the date that Texas A&M University fans traditionally meet for midnight yell practice before the rivals' biennial game in Austin.

The move by Christian Deitering, 24, forced Austin-area Aggies to alter their plans by scheduling to meet the night of Nov. 23 on the Capitol's north steps, which don't require a reservation.

Deitering said he was annoyed two years ago when he saw the Aggies practicing their football cheers the night before the game while Texas fans were kept away. "From what I could tell, A&M had security to make sure we didn't get up there ... but I consider Austin my town," said Deitering, who is also head of the Longhorn Hellraisers, a spirit group.

Deitering said he hopes to hold a rally for Longhorn fans on the south steps. He reserved the location months ago with a call to the State Preservation Board. He said he took action on his own and not on behalf of the Hellraisers.

Stephen Mason, president-elect of the Capital City A&M club, downplayed the conflict. He said Aggies have held yell practice on the north steps within the past 10 years.

There are no clues as to where Liverpool will discover revitalisation. Questioning of Rafael Benítez is approached tentatively, in view of achievements at Anfield and the Mestalla that have already made him one of the most prominent coaches of modern times, but you do wonder if tacticians, just like footballers, suffer from loss of form.

Travels in the Premiership keep taking Liverpool down culs-de-sac. Four consecutive away fixtures in the league have now been lost and 380 minutes have passed since they last scored a domestic goal on the road, their penalty equaliser at Sheffield United on opening day.

Dominant as United were, Liverpool kept on catching the eye in this defeat for the resounding wretchedness of their display. It was virtually an aberration that it could have been Benítez's team who opened the scoring, when an unmarked Dirk Kuyt rose to a Mark González cross after half an hour, but he bounced his header softly into the hands of Edwin van der Sar. When United bubbled with initiative it underlined just how inert Liverpool were.

And now, some email:

Baby Boy,

Key to the game on Monday--Roy Williams! If he can keep Tiki from busting big runs through the middle then the Cowboys should have a much better chance of winning. Dont be surprised to see Roy "The Legend Killer" Williams with 11 or 12 tackles and some caused turn overs. He might even break one of Tikis bones (them chew them an spit them on his face or something). He will probably give a few plays up in coverage as per usual but he is going to do thatanyway. If he stops Tiki we hve a chance to celebrate a victory. Feel free to use in pregame show!

PS-Legend Killer because of the list of people he hasinjured-TO Owens, Emmitt Smith, Kurt Warner, etc. Maybe "The Hitman" is better.

SIDE NOTE: I noticed the other week that there are a lot more defensive players with long hair. There are very few, in fact none that I can think of, skill players on offense that have long hair. That must be why I have never seen a player tackled by his hair until last week.

---Bob,

My lovely wife works for an undisclosed local hotel ( Marriott Las Colinas) where the Houston Texans were staying this weekend. They checked in on Sat. @ 2:00PM. The baby and I went with her since it was in the middle of the day and we had a lot of errands. So I sat in the lobby until the bus came the team got off, got their keys from the table and took the elevator upstairs.

After the team had gone up some coaches were headed to a side meeting room and I saw David Carr come back down and head towards the meeting room. My wife came and got me and as we were about to leave, all the Lady Managers were standing around giggling about seeing Carr standing just behind them outside the meeting room door. My wife said bye to them and we waked down the hall to our car. My wife was walking in front of me and I was caring the baby with my left hand, as we approached where Carr was standing I saw my wife’s head do a double take. I reached out with my right hand to cover her eyes, and got a nod and smirk from Carr. As we passed I said “have a good game tomorrow guys” and they politely said “thanks”. Then panic struck me, as I possibly set off a series of events that would cost the Cowboys the game on Sunday. I whipped around my head and said “NOT!” With no response form any one except my wife who said, “what grade are you in” I felt like an idiot! What would David think of me? I interacted with a Pro NFL QB and did ok, until the “NOT” Is It more gay that I said “NOT” or is it more gay that I hoped all day Carr didn’t hear my remark and ruin our relationship.

P1,Tim

---

Bob,

This is on live TV, and is the Dutch version of 60 Minutes. So the interviewer is a pretty seasoned reporter. The interviewer is talking to a guy for a segment called "surgeries gone wrong." Surgeons mistakenly removed this guy's testicles. Check out what happens when the interviewer hears Mr. No Testicles talk. Career-ending, but it makes for a good video.